41 Long Colt load data

[Mayor]

Looking for smokeless load data for 41 LC

Here's the project:

1851 Pietta clone
Kirst conversion

I reamed the chambers for 41 Colt
The slugged bore size is .380
The inside lubed 41 bullet mikes .386
Shooting pretty soft cast bullets

I have tried some Trail Boss, Red Dot, Bullseye

Can anyone suggest some proven loads for the 200gr Hollow Base?

Thanks!

[frank505]

we have tried a 200 grain 20/1 hollow base bullet with 3.5 of Bullseye. Accurate as the silly Lighting is and even killed some varmints with it till the gun broke. Also tried Unique, too slow, wont bump up the base to grip the rifling as the recovered bullets showed.

[Bodydoc447]

HarryO did some wonderful writings on the 41 Colt. I hope he chimes in here.
http://harryo.sixshootercommunity.org/
I believe Mike Venturino used the Rapine hollow-based bullet or a similar Ideal bullet cast of very soft metal, lubed with SPG over black powder and over a mild charge of smokeless, I think it was Unique but I'll have to look it up. It was in one of his Shooting (Colt) Revolvers of the Old West books. I enjoyed reading it some years ago and don't remember the exact load. Perhaps he'll see this thread and add something, as well. I'll try to rummage through the notebooks and see what notes I have.

Doc

[beagle]

Yeah, contact HarryO, he's the resident .41 Long Colt expert./beagle

[Mayor]

I'll try to get a hold of HarryO...........THANKS!

Frank505.....I'll give that Bullseye load a whirl. Think I'll reduce it a tad as I am shooting that bullet into a much tighter barrel than you did!

I'm working into a lighter bullet. Bernie at Old West is making Walt and I some moulds that should be about 170gr or so. Round Nose at about .378 or so to start the rifling then three deep grooves for lube and a rounded shoulder with a square base at .386

Keep the data coming!

[missionary5155]

Good evening
You may just have a winning idea there. I have a Colt 1895 in 41 Colt. The wide straight through cylinders were the main problem. IF the boolit cannot fill the cylinder throat you have all sorts of issues before the boolit even gets to the barrel. If your boolit fills the throat there is no reason smokeless should not work.
Crimping is important. The Lee Factory crimper is the better route to go/
My best loads came after I laped my mold out to .405 and used a case full of 3F BP. That was a 170gr heel type. 15 yard accuracy was 3-4"
Keep us posted.
As mentioned I would PM Harry O. He was a big help to me getting my Peruvian 41 to shoot.

[Mayor]

Tried emailing HarryO from his site: http://harryo.sixshootercommunity.org/#lubing
This email address: harryo@tconl.com

No response........anyone know how to reach him?

[robertbank]

I've used 3 gr of Bullseye under my three Lyman boolits (2 Heel base, 1 Hollow base) with fair accuracy. I make my cases out of 38spl cases. They work reasonably well. If you use a holow bse boolit cast them as soft as you can.

My Great Grand-dads old Colt isn't the most accurate gun in the world but is kind of fun to take out once a year and let the old girl shine.

Take Care

Bob

[Mayor]

Thread update.......

This conversion is a go!

146 gr "cowboy" profile, 2 lube groove (inside lubed) .386 soft lead projectile out of the mould Bernie at Old West Moulds is now making for me.

38 Special cases run into the Redding 41 Colt sizing die (just deep enough to seat and crimp the bullet).

Trail Boss is the powder and will shoot about 3-4 inches high (six o'clock hold put it on the bull).

This is a great conversion requiring a mould, .386 lubrisizer die, a set of 41 dies and a 38/357 shellholder. Putting a soft .386 inside lubed bullet through the throat with no tipping into a .380 (nominal) bore on your Italian 1851 pistol.

It's all available on my website.
Thanks to all the pards here for their input!

[robertbank]

Post some pics when you get a chance.

Take Care

Bob

[RMc]

Check out the data here. Also if you rechamberd with a .386" cylinder throat no hollow base bullets are needed.

http://cartridgeconversion.com/SERVICES.php

[Mayor]

Check out the data here. Also if you rechamberd with a .386" cylinder throat no hollow base bullets are needed.

http://cartridgeconversion.com/SERVICES.php

Thanks for posting the link!

[Mayor]

Here are pics of the Mould that Bernie is making and a cast bullet (a bit out of focus sorry).

896968969789698

[Mayor]

Pics of an 1851 and 1861 Navy converted to 41 Colt inside lubed.........

8969989700

[Mayor]

89735

Here is a 38 Special case "necked up" to accept the .386 bullet. These look funny after you shoot them but hold up well and in such a low pressure situation they seem to last a long time, just like a 38 case......

JFIP:
The 38 Special and 41 case have basically the same rim dimensions and the 38 rim is harder to pull off the case when resizing (pretty easy to stick 41 cases in the resizing die).
41 Colt cases are better than 50 cents a piece.

[robertbank]

Mayor I anneal my 38spl cases prior to doing the neck. I got less splits that way. Like you say the brass lasts forever. I have the three Lyman molds for the caliber. One is for the .41 Short Colt but does work in the Long.

Take Care

Bob

[Mayor]

Mayor I anneal my 38spl cases prior to doing the neck. I got less splits that way. Like you say the brass lasts forever. I have the three Lyman molds for the caliber. One is for the .41 Short Colt but does work in the Long.

Take Care

Bob
Bob I assume you are using the hollow base or heeled bullets in a .401(+ or-) bore, correct?

I have used both in a number of antique arms and I am, for the most part, done with hollow based bullets. Their "inconsistancies" in both casting and shooting (meaning fliers) relegates them to just adequate if necessary. Then there is also the problem with their excessive weight (necessary for the hollow base) shooting extremely high in most pistols.

I consider myself a Heeled Base guy as I have 20 or 30 heel base moulds, load for 50 or better conversion pistols that use heel base bullets and specialize in the building of those types of pistols. There is a marked difference in the accuracy of heeled base bullets over hollow based ones and with Bernies crimper and sizing setup a guy can easily make accurate easy to use loads.

This 41 conversion eliminates the hollow base bullet, the need for specialized loading tools and uses an inside bullet that shoots close to point of aim with cheap brass!

[robertbank]

Mayor as you likely know the .41 LC had a lot of problems when it came to what the dimensions were going to be for the revolvers. My old New Navy Colt is no exception. The hollow base bullet came out with the idea of sealing the bore in the various guns Colt had made in this caliber. I have the mold and have used it with mixed results. My two heel based molds work great and over winter I intend to load some rounds. Iy becomes a bit of a labour of love but fun to do.

Take Care

Bob

[Mayor]

Bob

That's what I said in my much more "winded" reply above......
Have you seen my tutorial located here?
http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php/topic,41633.0.html

I got bored with the New Navy and the lightning (in 38 Colt Heeled) I had but would like to find a Store Keeper Thunderer some time.

[robertbank]

Mine is a family gun going back to my Great Grand Dad. Gun hasnt been shot much other than by me. Blueing got worn off by a great grandson playing with it back in the day ie me. LOL I am now more concerned about how brittle the forcing cone might be from the old mercury primers. I want to leave the gun to my son.

Take Care

Bob

[robertbank]

Have you used Lee tumble lube to lube your heeled bullets. Worked for me. I have also dipped them in Johnson Paste Wax after the cartridges are loaded. I just spin the bullet on top of the wax and let dry.

Take Care

Bob